title: Immunosuppressive drugs in pregnancy.
abstract: Successful pregnancies are now common in female organ transplant recipients. Despite high rates of success, pregnancy in an organ transplant recipient should be managed as a high-risk condition with emphasis on prevention and prompt treatment of rejection episodes. The number of immunosuppressive drugs and drug combinations has increased in recent years. Data accrued by a national registry indicate that pregnancy is generally successful in patients maintained on some combination of cyclosporine, azathioprine, and steroids. Relatively little information is available regarding the safety of some of the newer immunosuppressive agents in pregnancy. Until additional information is collected, transplant physicians and obstetricians must balance the efficacy of immunosuppressants in preventing allograft rejection in the mother against possible adverse drug reactions in both the mother and fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: F Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Ghandour
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Knauss
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Hricik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents